Close to 1.8 crore senior citizens in India, are either abandoned or homeless and among this enormous and upsetting number, 70% have faced some form of abuse. A huge chunk of India’s population is living under conditions of extreme poverty, and find it extremely difficult to look after an old person that requires constant medical care and attention. Hence, many families with poor incomes and scarce resources, abandon their elderly members, leaving them to fend for themselves. A vast majority of these poor and helpless elderly people are left with no other choice but to start begging for food and money on the streets of India.
A country’s elderly community is an extremely important part of its history, hence, their well being and welfare should be every citizen’s moral responsibility. The Begonia Blooming Buds Foundation undertook this responsibility by starting an old age home in 2008. Our senior residents are usually rescued by the police or our rescue team and are brought to our old age home. Here, they are provided 3 hygienically prepared meals on a daily basis, sanitised accommodations, ambulance services, medical care, rehabilitation treatments and emotional and moral support.
Many of our elderly rescues are individuals that come from wealthy, highly educated and influential backgrounds. Due to increased loneliness, lack of emotional care and medical attention and neglect from family members in old age, these poor souls are abandoned by their families or even develop severe mental and physical illnesses. We find many of our elderly rescues in a state of absolute despair, begging for food and money at railway and bus stations, temples or gurdwaras, and other public places. After arriving at our old age home we give our elderly residents a safe and nurturing environment in hopes that they will live their final years in a place that cares and provides for all their needs.
